Desert Elite Mavericks Staff/Coaching

Amy Grey (Program Director/Coach)

Originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin and a resident of the Coachella Valley
for over 30 years, Amy has been involved in cheer since she a young child.
She was a competitive middle school and high school cheerleader and has 30
years of coaching expertise. She is a former United Spirit Association (USA)
instructor and camp director as well as a judge for various competitive
companies throughout the United States. She has done choreography and coached
award-winning teams from throughout Southern California. Locally, she has worked
as a cheer/dance coach/choreographer for Palm Springs High School, Palm Desert
High School, La Quinta High School, and Nellie Coffman Middle School. She also
began and ran championship programs at both James Workman Middle School
(two-time National Champions in a junior varsity high school division) and
Cathedral City High School. She is an English teacher at Rancho Mirage High
School, where she is also established RMHS Cheer Team which she established.
Amy has been a teacher for over 25 years and is the mother of three girls,
Mackenzie (now a Mavericks Coach) and twin daughters
Ryan and Addison - all Mavericks!

Jennifer Marruffo (Team Coach)

Jennifer is now in her tenth year as a member of our coaching staff. She is
a former competitive high-school cheerleader and dancer. She was also a four-year
member of the University of California, Riverside Cheer Team. She has over eighteen
years of dance and performing experience. She is a strong stunter with attention to
detail, who brings tremendous enthusiasm in her role as a coach. She is a middle-school
language arts teacher at Painted Hills Middle School, where she is also the Cheer Team
Advisor/Coach. Jennifer has a son Micco and step-daughter Jasmine (a Maverick!).

Jade Mason (Team Coach)

Jade is in her seventh year of coaching and instructing. Outside of the Desert Elite,
she instructs yoga at a local Bikram Yoga studio while she is training to become an EMT.
In addition to being a former Maverick, she was a key member of her school's varsity
team at Cathedral City High School. Jade is continuing her cheer career as a member of
the California All-Star I-5 "Sparkle" team this year. Jade's spirit and enthusiasm makes
her an excellent role model for our youngest Mavericks.

Alexandria Davalos (Team Coach)

Alex is in her second year as a coach for the Mavericks. She is a former Maverick and Indio High School cheerleader.
She is our lead instructor & Director for the Amelia Earhart Elementary Cheer program. In addition to her
position at the Desert Elite, Alex also instructs tumbling and acro for Center Stage Dance Studio.
She is a great, positive, and energetic role model for all of those that she coaches.

Mackenzie Grey (Team Coach)

Mackenzie is our first Maverick to enter the program as a Mini-Maverick
(before the days of Tiny) and have spent most of her life as a Maverick.
As a member of numerous championship teams (the first Vixen team to win
NCA Nationals!), she brings tremendous stunting ability and experience to
her second year of coaching teams. She was also a founding member of the
Rancho Mirage High School Cheer Team, where she not only cheered, but also
competed as a RMHS Rattler.

Jermaine Wright (Coach)

Jermaine is a former Maverick and coach that is returning to her "home" -
the Desert Elite! She is a former James Workman Middle and Cathedral City
High School sideline and competitive cheerleader. She was a member of Coach
Grey's award-winning JWMS Cheer Team and a member of one of our first DVAS
Maverick teams. We're excited to have her back and expect only great things
from her and her teams. Jermaine is a registered nurse, who is a mother to
girls (one of which is now a Maverick!).

ERNESTO ("Ernie") AYALA (Team Coach)

Ernie is a new coach to the Desert Elite, but a Coachella Valley native.
Ernie will be instructing tumbling classes as well as coaching teams
this year. He is a former college cheerleader having cheered both in
Montana and at San Diego State University. He has coached/instructed for
all-star programs in Montana and California and is an instructor for UCA
summer camps. He is also the Head Coach for the Palm Desert High School
Cheer Team.

Rachel Holena

Rachel was born and raised in Northeast Pennsylvania (not too far from Scranton);
after graduating from The Pennsylvania State University in December 2016 she moved
to Palm Springs to begin her career as a math teacher.
Her first experience cheering was for mini football when she was in first grade.
She continued with her school cheer program throughout junior high and then on the varsity team.
She cheered competitively for Keystone Extreme All Stars in Olyphant, Pennsylvania from 8th
grade until graduation. She was involved in Penn State Club Cheerleading for two years.
While student teaching at North Allegheny High School in Pittsburgh, PA she assisted with the varsity team.
That's when she knew she needed to reconnect with competitive cheerleading again once she moved to California.
Rachel began coaching at Desert Elite Mavericks in February 2017 and it makes her feel at home in the desert.